A TARDIS Life
by fanficoholic
Summary: What if someone waltzed unto the Doctor's ship and turned everything the he believed up on its head? After all, the Doctor wasn't the TARDIS' first pilot.
1. He was not alone

The Doctor sighed and slumped down on the jump seat in resignation. Here he was, the universe as his oyster, and he couldn't even muster up enough enthusiasm to so much as travel to the nearest planet. The Time War stripped him of all his joy. When he stopped the war by using the Moment, he had hoped that life could go back to normal, but even considering the freedom of being the last Time Lord, he just wanted his people back. He never would have thought that he would miss the Council punishing him for interfering, or his wife nagging him about leaving her while he went traipsing all over the universe. Sure the war had been traumatizing, but the Doctor felt that being the last of his species was even more so. He was tired of living, tired of the guilt and the loneliness.

He sighed, and was about to walk over to the console when the TARDIS doors swung open and someone just walked in. He looked at the woman in disbelief, especially after she just started talking.

"Hello gorgeous," she said in a strange mixture of British accents, "I missed you!"

The Doctor blinked in shock as his TARDIS replied by dimming the lights and sending out sparks.

"You have no idea how happy I am to see that the council didn't go through with their threat and decommission you."

The TARDIS lights dimmed.

"What do you mean they put you in a museum?" She demanded, "I don't know whether to feel flattered or insulted. What exhibit?"

The woman suddenly laughed out in glee, "Seriously? Then we should both be very flattered. How many Time Lords and their ships went down in the history books for being exiled?"

As the TARDIS brightened her lights, showing her enthusiasm, the Doctor made his way over to the stranger. He was filled with both hope, hoping that he truly wasn't the last Time Lord, and dread, afraid that he truly was.

He cleared his throat, drawing her attention, "Hello," he said, "Can I ask what you're doing on my ship and how you got on in the first place?"

The woman snorted, "Your ship? Please, she is mine. Always has been, and always will be. Isn't that right sweetheart?"

The TARDIS seemed somewhat reluctant to answer.

"Oh don't worry love," the woman said, stroking one of the corals, "You can keep him."

With that statement, the TARDIS cheered up but the Doctor looked affronted.

"Excuse me," he demanded, "Keep me? And what do you mean she's your ship. I've had her for a thousand years."

The woman's expression darkened at the reminder. Ignoring the TARDIS's protests, she grabbed the Doctor by the throat and slammed him against the wall. He was stunned by both her actions and her strength. His current regeneration wasn't at all what one would consider light.

"The only reason you could fly my TARDIS was because she allowed it. She stole you, not the other way around. She stole you so that she could find me. The Lady and I have flown together for longer than the thought of you existed, Theta Sigma. We sailed through the Medusa Cascade, toppled hundreds of empires and stole countless of artifacts. I am a Time Lord and over 3000 years old, so don't try my patience."

His eyes widened, "You're the Time Pirate," he exclaimed softly, "I read all about you."

She pulled back, releasing the Time Lord, and fixed her jacket, "I prefer the Prodigy but Freya is also acceptable."

Freya made her way to the console but just as she was about to touch it, the TARDIS shocked her. Freya flinched but instead of reacting negatively like the Doctor predicted, she grinned, "Don't worry love, as long as your Thief behaves, I'll refrain from... chastising him." she looked down and suddenly her expression was thunderous, "What has that incompetent Time Tot done to you? Is that a bloody bicycle pump?"

The Doctor froze at her glare. If looks could kill, he'd probably be in his last regeneration already. She was fuming mad and the Doctor knew that he would get the brunt of it. Silently he hoped the TARDIS would protect him.

After a few moments, a loud song from the ship, and a fierce conversation later, Freya finally spoke to him, "What have you done to my ship, Doctor?"

"Nothing!" He protested.

Freya took a deep calming breath so her words only stung, "Then why does she look like someone' junk drawer threw up over her?" she demanded and then looking towards the ceiling said, "He did not do the best he could. I don't care that he couldn't take you back to Gallifrey to get repaired. The least your bloody Thief could have done was take a few extra days to make parts for you. He's perfectly capable, he's just being lazy."

"You can make TARDIS parts?" the Doctor asked, hoping that she'd spare him.

Freya scoffed, "It's a required course at the Academy," she said, and then frowned, "TARDIS?"

The Doctor explained, "Time and Relative Dimensions in Space," he said, "My granddaughter, Susan, thought of it."

Freya rolled her eyes, "Oh please," she muttered and then yelped. The TARDIS shocked her again. "You actually like that?" She asked of the ship.

"Other than a driving course," he began, "And a general biology course, we didn't learn anything about TARDISes in the Academy. Everything I learned about maintaining her was through trial and error. We were expected to bring our ships in for maintenance whenever it was required."

Freya scowled, "Oh those bloody bastards!" She exclaimed, "Just because they were control freaks, they had to punish the 'TARDISes'." She said the last word with distaste, but since her ship wanted to be called a TARDIS, she would comply.

The Doctor frowned, "I don't understand," he said and then wrinkled his face. He hated saying that.

"The Council," she said, "By neglecting to teach the newer generation of Time Lords how to care for their ships, and requiring them to bring them in for maintenance, they were able to control them. Not only could they keep track of all you Time Tots, but they could control when and where you could go."

"I'd prefer if you didn't refer to me as a Time Tot, thank you." the Doctor said.

Freya ignored him, "No wonder we lost the War."

"You know about that?"

"I was exiled," the Prodigy scoffed, "Not dead. Everyone knows about the Last and Greatest Time War and what you did to end it."

The Doctor's face tensed and he walked out the TARDIS doors. Freya rolled her eyes and tried to get started on repairs but her ship stopped her.

Freya barked out a laugh, "And go comfort the child," she said, "I don't think so!"

The ship shifted the floor beneath Freya, making her stumble towards the door.

"I barely know him!" She protested, "And you know how much I despise dealing with emotional outbursts."

The TARDIS just sparked and flickered her lights insistently.

"Oh alright! Fine!" Freya rolled her eyes, "But you owe me one, girlie!"

Freya stalked out of the ship, her hands in her jacket pockets. She spotted the Doctor looking out into the ocean and sighed. Apparently the TARDIS moved sometime during their discussion, probably somewhere that matched the emotional climate in the ship.

"My ship has become more outspoken since I last saw her," Freya said, making her way besides the Doctor, "You've spoiled her."

The Doctor didn't respond making Freya sigh, "I don't blame you," she finally said, "For what you did to end it. I would have done the same."

The Doctor scoffed, "You would have committed genocide," he spat.

Freya rolled her eyes again, wondering just why she was the one stuck dealing with him. "For the sake of the entire universe," Freya said, "Yes. I would have done exactly that."

"You're a pirate, an exile..." He said, "Of course you would."

Freya narrowed her eyes at the Doctor and violently turned him so that he was facing her. The Doctor just stared into her blazing green eyes with his lost blue and empty ones, "I may be a pirate, but I have never killed for the sake of killing. I may have been exiled from Gallifrey, but that was only because the Council couldn't control me. I loathed everything our people stood for in the end, but I never wished for their deaths. Our people were corrupt, power hungry and threatening all of existence. I would have stood between them and the universe in a heartbeat."

"How..." The Doctor never told anyone what the Council and Rassillion had been planning.

Freya let the Doctor go, "I kept an eye on things," she told him, "And if you hadn't done what you did, I would have."

"Who are you?"

Freya didn't answer. Instead she made her way back into the TARDIS, leaving the Doctor with his thoughts. Just as he was about to go back in, the ground shook, sending him overboard. He fell into the ice cold Atlantic, and when he finally surfaced, swam his way towards an iceberg. He spent the rest of the night watching as the bloody Titanic sunk to the bottom of the sea, hoping that the Prodigy would come find him soon.

As soon as Freya entered the ship, she made her way to the console, intent on inventorying the worst of the damage so that she could figure out just what parts she had to buy and make. Her old denim coveralls were hanging just next to the door and her tool box was settled right next to the console. Freya grinned.

"It's good to be back," she told her TARDIS.

Freya and her ship spent the next couple of hours talking as Freya checked her out and fixed what she could. They had a lot of catching up to do, but luckily telepathic communication was much quicker than oral communication. The Prodigy had spent the last thousand and a half years in exile and her ship had spent almost just as long in the Doctor's company. When Freya was finished working for the moment, she noticed that the Doctor was nowhere to be found.

"Sweetheart," she said out loud, "Just where is that Doctor of yours?"

The TARDIS brought up an image of the Doctor clinging to an iceberg on screen. Freya was torn between laughing and gently scolding her ship for leaving the man stranded for so long. It had been eight hours since she last saw the Doctor. With a few flicks, twists and pumps, Freya managed to get the TARDIS floating close to the Doctor. She walked over to the doors and opened them.

"Well it's about time!" The Doctor snarled, freezing cold, and completely angry at the Time Pirate.

As Freya helped the Doctor into his ship, she just laughed and said, "Don't blame me. The TARDIS was the one who neglected to mention your situation. Personally I think she was rather enjoying both our conversation and her maintenance session."

"Well while you girls were primping and gossiping, I was freezing my arse off while watching the bloody Titanic sink."

Freya was about to retort, but was cut off by the TARDIS. She wanted Freya to communicate something to her Thief.

"Apparently you were left out there for a reason," she said.

"And what reason was that?"

Freya blinked, "You're getting wise in your old age, darling," she told the TARDIS before turning to the Doctor, "It was a fixed point in time," she said, but the TARDIS zapped her, "Hey! You gave me a message and I intend on delivering it, but my way. You're wise but lack tact. The Doctor isn't used to you...like that anyway."

"What did she say?"

"When the Titanic was sinking, you knew that you couldn't help," Freya said, "And you could have. Time Lords have superior strength and speed. You could have saved a lot of people by helping them into the lifeboats.

The Doctor looked away, "It was a fixed point in time." He said sadly, "If those people didn't die, history would have been rewritten."

Freya sighed but nodded. She really did hate these touchy-feely moments. "Well your using of the Moment was too."

"What?"

"A fixed point in time," she explained, "Using the moment was a fixed point in time. The Time Lords couldn't sense it because it was a part of their timelines, but the TARDISes knew. If you had done otherwise, the history of the universe would have been rewritten. If you believe in fate or destiny then the Moment was Gallifrey's fate, and using it was your destiny."

"But why?"

Freya shook her head, "Sorry mate," she said, "I'm done for the are not my thing. Now if you want a tour of the TARDIS, I'm your girl."

The Doctor was taken by surprise, "A fixed point?" He then frowned completely distracted, "A tour? Perhaps you're forgetting, but I've been flying this ship for centuries."

Freya smirked, "That doesn't mean that you've seen everything she has to offer."

The Doctor was curious, "Just what does she have to offer?" Freya grinned happy that she had successfully distracted the Doctor from his morse thoughts.

Freya grinned, "Alright darling," she said, "Let's show your Thief just what he's been missing."

Freya grabbed the Doctor by the hand and pulled him out of the console room. She passed the bedrooms, the kitchen and the gardens. She pulled him past the wardrobe room and through the library slash swimming pool. She opened a trap door, making the Doctor nervous, and climbed down the ladder. She led him past a wine cellar, and through an armory.

"There are guns on my ship," he half asked.

The Prodigy nodded, "She's a pirate ship," she said, "Of course there's an armory. And in case you're wondering she also has a shooting range, and a distillery."

The Doctor was upset. It was like he didn't even know her, the TARDIS. Freya didn't notice his disappointment. Instead she just led him through a series of passage ways until they finally reached a large vault door. She let go of his hand and began opening the combination lock. When the door swung open, the Doctor's jaw dropped.

"Are those..."

Freya looked proud, "Yes they are real," she said before walking in and picking up a giant emerald, one that matched her eyes, "Isn't it beautiful?"

The Doctor walked over to her and took the emerald. He took a closer look and gasped. Freya had to quickly catch the gem before it hit the ground.

"Is that..."

"I'm a pirate," she said, "And this is my vault."

"You mean I've been flying around with stolen loot for the past thousand years!"

Freya grinned, "You're so bad ass," she snickered, especially considering his wide eyes and ashen pallor.

The Doctor didn't take that for the joke it was. Instead he started pacing, muttering about aiding and abetting, and prison. Freya just laughed.

"Oh relax Doc," she said, "You haven't been caught yet! My TARDIS knows how to stay under the radar."

"I don't even know my own ship anymore! How can I just relax?" He asked, "I just met you and you turned my entire existence up on its head!" He started ranting.

Freya rolled her eyes, grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the back of the vault. She pulled out a scroll from the bookshelf and handed it to him mid rant. He looked down, his eyes widened again, and he stared at her in disbelief.

"Is this..."

"One of the scrolls From the Library of Alexandria?" She asked, "Oh yes. I managed to filch most of them just before the library was destroyed."

The Doctor just sat down, right there and began to read. Freya made her way back to the console room and took her ship to her favorite technology bazaar to buy parts. She knew that she had at least 3 hours to shop around before the Doctor came up for air, plenty of time.

"Any requests?" she asked.

Freya just laughed before exiting her ship. She had repaired the chameleon circuit so the TARDIS looked like a bright red door against a wall. It was her favorite disguise, especially out on the prowl. When she returned, the Doctor practically pounced on her.

"Do you know how advanced the humans could have been if the library wasn't destroyed? There were notes on..."

"Doctor!" Freya interrupted, "I know. I read the scrolls too."

"They're fantastic," he said.

"Help me," Freya insisted, handing the Doctor a box full of potential TARDIS parts. She turned around and grabbed the last two boxes from the young boy she paid to assist her with carrying her purchases.

"So you buy the TARDIS parts?" he askee conversationally.

Freya shrugged, "It's a matter of pride. I like knowing that I got my girl the best."

The Doctor rooted through the box, "Hang on," he said, "I recognize none of this."

"You won't," she told him, "Not until I put them together anyway. I customize everything for her."

"How's that different from what I do?" The Doctor asked.

Freya glared at him, "Because the parts I customize aren't originally from a kitchen stove or made to entertain children."

The Doctor raised his hands in surrender, "Anything I can do to help?"

"How about something to eat," she suggested already getting distracted.

"I do not do domestics!"

"Well I don't cook," she said simply, "So either you find dinner or get someone who will."

"Are you sure..." The Doctor dropped one of Freya's parts, almost breaking it before the older Time Lord snatched it away from him.

"Do not touch anything Theta!" she said.

"How do you know my nickname?"

Freya rolled her eyes. She hated questions, especially when asked while she was working. "You didn't mention she traveled in time."

"What?"

"You forget to mention that the TARDIS travels through time."

The Doctor was confused...again. "But you already know that..."

Freya growled, "Not to me you stupid child! To the human girl," she said, "What's her name? Ah! Rose Tyler. The human who helped you with the Autons."

"How do you know that?"

"Pretty much everything the TARDIS knows, I do too. So why don't you go ask the human girl to join you." she suggested and then under her breath, knowing the Doctor could hear her, said, "And maybe she can distract you so you stop bugging me."


	2. The Last Human

Chapter 2

Freya was under the grating, trying to repair the system diagnostics so that she could figure out just what to tackle first. Unfortunately, the Doctor and his human were stomping around up top, asking about who thought who was impressive and so on. She gritted her teeth, just about to demand they be silent when the Doctor started the TARDIS up. Freya immediately found herself thrown face first into the wall. When her ship settled, she tried climbing up to yell at the Doctor but the shaking started up again, making her slip so that she was hanging from the grating.

"Where are we?" asked the human, "What's out there?"

"Help me up you stupid Time Tot before I ask my ship to hide all the bananas from now until you regenerate."

Rose started, not aware that there was someone else onboard, and the Doctor immediately jumped to attention, and helped Freya out of the floor. She shot the Time Lord a nasty look and made her way towards the bathroom. She had engine grease and blood all over her hands.

"Are you alright?" the Doctor asked, feeling somewhat guilty for moving the TARDIS while she was working.

Freya sighed, "Fine," she said.

"I didn't realize..."

"It's fine Doctor," she said, and then gave him a look, "Just warn me next time so I can brace myself." She pulled out a bandage and wrapped it around her palm.

"You're hurt!"

"I've gotten worse from shaving," she told him wryly, "Go entertain your human before she decides to cause a paradox or something."

"I..."

Freya rolled her eyes, "Go," she told him, "I can and will make you swab the deck if you keep chattering in my ear."

"I do not chatter!" the Doctor protested, making Freya narrow her eyes.

"Theta..." She said warningly.

"Aye aye captain," he replied jokingly, but his worry for her didn't leave his eyes. "You're welcome to join us. We're going to watch the sun overtake the Earth. It should be exciting."

Freya bit back a smile, "Go show off or something. Her Majesty tells me that you like to make a production of your Companion's first trip. I'll join you two later."

The Doctor sighed but acquiesced. He warned her that it was a formal event before walking out of the bathroom and back to Rose. The human was nervously waiting for him, seated on the jump seat. When she spotted him, she jumped off and started firing questions at him.

"Oi! One question at a time." he interrupted.

Rose looked behind him anxiously, "Who was that?"

"That was...she's..." The Doctor had no idea how to explain Freya to Rose. He could tell Rose that she was a Time Lady, a pirate, and the TARDIS' original pilot, but Freya never told him that he could and he was afraid that she'd slap him if he said the wrong thing. "She's...going to tell you herself. For now all you need to know is that she's not going anywhere."

"But Doctor," Rose protested.

"No buts!" He said, "Now come on Rose, let's see what's on the other side of that door."

The Doctor led Rose down the stairs so that she could look out the window. As much as he disliked how both the TARDIS and Freya thought he put on a production for his companions, he couldn't really deny it.

"You lot, you spend all your time thinking about dying, like you're going to get killed by eggs or beef or global warming or asteroids." he said, and then pulled on a grin, "But you never take time to imagine the impossible, that maybe you survive. This is the year five point five slash apple slash twenty six. Five billion years in your future, and this is the day... Hold on..." he looked down at his watch and as the sun flared he said, "This is the day the Sun expands. Welcome to the end of the world."

Freya made her way to the wardrobe room, intent on utilizing it to its fullest potential. When she had been exiled, the Council forced a regeneration on her, hoping her new self wouldn't be as destructive to them. In most ways her regenerating did make her better, but in someways she also became worse. She became more patient and more likely to step back and just enjoy herself, and with the right people she was playful and had a knack for pranks. On the other hand she became quite vindictive and short tempered, had little tolerance for emotional displays and hated powers of authority.

Freya walked through the clothing racks, and tried on anything that caught her eye. Some outfits were completely unlike her, and some were even outfits that the previous regenerations of the Doctor wore, quite ridiculous really. As time wore on, she finally managed to pin down exactly the way she wished to portray herself to the world.

First she pulled on a pair of tight black leather pants, a cream dress shirt with flaring sleeves, and a wine red corset. She then pulled on a pair of black military boots, and a knee length black trench coat. What she really liked about her outfit was the strange leather holster bag hanging off her waist. Making her way to the accessory chest, she then pulled on a black gallifreyan pendant, her favorite costume ring, and tied her hair up in a messy bun. She was just about to walk to the console room to do a last check before joining the Doctor and his pet when the TARDIS began to shake...again.

"What's going on lovely?" she asked and received an image of a parking garage, "They better be more careful." she said as she entered the console room and jumped out the TARDIS doors. It was back to being a police box. Freya managed to give her lady a choice of favorites to choose from with the Chameleon Circuit.

"You so much as scratch her and I will poke your eyes out," she snarled at the little blue attendants.

"Freya!" The Doctor exclaimed.

"Doctor," she greeted back with a smirk.

"Don't worry about the old girl," he said, "I'm watching them."

When the attendants put the TARDIS down, Freya snatched the ticket out of their hands before the Doctor could so much as think about getting it. She blew the Doctor a kiss before turning around and leaving what she designated as the Garage. Just as she was about to leave the room, she spotted a familiar vehicle making her grin. She ignored the Doctor's cries for her to wait as she made her way to the main reception area. The moment she spotted her target, she practically ran for him.

"Boe Face!" She exclaimed.

"Oh no!" He telepathically projected playfully, "Here comes trouble."

"It feels like it's been forever," she said, "How's the air in there?"

"Probably more pleasant than it is out there," he said, "Unfortunately I had to invite Cassandra."

Freya turned around and groaned, spotting the slip of a human conversing with one of the other guests. She gave The Face of Boe a betrayed look.

"Why?" She moaned.

"Well technically, she's the last human and the Earth is about to expire..."

"But she's so..." Freya couldn't think of a word to use. Thankfully she spotted the Doctor who spared her from having to chose just one epithet. "Doctor! Over here!"

She turned to Boe and grinned, "Now you can't say that I didn't introduce you."

Boe laughed, "Trouble doesn't even begin to describe you my dear."

Freya winked at him, "Of course not," she said, "I'm a pirate."

"You are absurdly fast," the Doctor told her.

Freya shrugged, "I've learned that being fast is a great asset in my line of work." she replied and then turned to face both the Doctor and Boe, "Doctor, I'd like to introduce you to the Face of Boe. Bo Boe, you know the Doctor."

The Doctor looked horrified that Freya actually had the audacity to call the Face of Boe by a childish nickname. He was torn between denying the fact that he even knew her and apologizing profusely. His internal ramblings were cut off by Boe's and Freya's mental laughs.

"Oh calm down Doc," Freya said, "Old Boe and I have been best mates for centuries. He's the one who took me in after my exile and I was the one who taught him everything he knows."

"I wouldn't say everything," Boe said, "I do have a few millennia on you after all."

Freya just waved him off, "Oh please," she said, "The few languages and little history you managed to absorb on your own aren't really that important in the grand scheme of things. Who's the one who taught you how to how to escape time loops, or how to..."

"Spoilers," Boe interrupted.

Freya groaned, "I'm going to kill whoever taught you that word!" She exclaimed, "Mark my words, I will stalk you until I learn the origin of that phrase and make them regret ever speaking that horrid utterance."

"Can I interrupt and say how much of an honor it is to meet such a legendary individual?" the Doctor said.

Boe gave the Doctor a solemn bow but mentally he was sharing his glee with his best friend. He kept mentioning the irony of the Doctor's words but when asked to elaborate he just asked her to be patient and that it'd be worth it. She shook her head at his childishness before turning to the Doctor.

"Where's your pet?" She asked, making Boe rebuke her mentally. She didn't apologize.

"My what?"

"Your pet human," Freya said, dodging Boe's mental poke, "Miss. Tyler."

The Doctor took a moment to remember, "Oh," he said, "I think she found everything to be a little more alien than she was expecting."

Freya rolled her eyes, "Figures," she muttered, "Why don't you go run off and find her? She..." Boe stopped Freya from talking, making her roll her eyes again. The Doctor walked away leaving Boe alone to scold his now younger friend.

"Be nice to her," Boe said, "She might end up saving your life, someday."

Freya looked at Boe and groaned, "How the hell did I get into a situation where a human of all aliens has to save my life?"

Boe ignored her question, preferring to converse about the time he managed to rescue a civilization on the brink of collapse, naked. Freya grinned at the story but internally mused about the fact that Boe never had a stitch of clothing on during his fantastical stories.

The Doctor walked through the halls, calling out for his human companion until finally he found her staring out at the Earth. Internally he sighed, but plastered on a small smile.

"So, what do you think?"

"Great. Yeah, fine." she was quick to say and then with a slightly hysterical laugh added, "Once you get past the slightly psychic paper. They're just so alien. The aliens are so alien. You look at 'em and they're alien."

The Doctor bit back a snort, "Good thing I didn't take you to the Deep South."

"Where are you from?" She asked, ignoring his remark.

"All over the place," he told her, "Freya and I both."

"Who's Freya?" Rose frowned.

The Doctor blinked until he remembered that Rose had never been properly introduced to the other Time Lord. "Oh!" He said, "Freya's the woman who's traveling with us."

"That's a strange name," she commented, "Definitely not English, but at least it's not a title like the Doctor."

"Oi! What's wrong with my name?" He demanded.

"Nothing," Rose muttered, not wanting to get into it with a practical stranger. It would be rude of her, and her mother taught her better than that. Her mind scrambled for a subject change, "They all speak English."

"No, you just hear English. It's a gift of the Tardis. The telepathic field, gets inside your brain and translates." The Doctor said proudly, distracted from the name thing by the chance to gloat about his...Freya's...their...her...his...her...ship.

Rose on the other hand did not find it nearly as impressive, "It's inside my brain?"

He backtracked, "Well, in a good way."

"Your machine gets inside my head. It gets inside and it changes my mind, and you didn't even ask?" Rose demanded, feeling violated and alarmed.

The Doctor frowned but thanks to his Freya exposure, he didn't find Rose quite so scary. "Well I didn't think about it quite like that," he said making her snort.

"No, you were too busy thinking up cheap shots about the Deep South. Who are you, then, Doctor? What are you called? What sort of alien are you?"

"I'm just the Doctor. That's it." He told her.

Rose wasn't finished with her questioning, "From what planet?"

He sat back defensively, "Well, it's not as if you'll know where it is!"

"Where are you from?"

"What does it matter?"

"Tell me who you are!" Rose demanded, her eyes wild.

"That is enough!"

Both Rose and the Doctor twisted to see Freya standing in the doorway. Her arms were crossed and she looked rather upset. The Doctor looked away but Rose kept her defiant gaze on the woman.

"And you!" Rose exclaimed, "I don't even know you!"

Freya sent Rose a glare, "What business is it yours, Miss. Tyler, who I am? Who the Doctor is? He invites you to see the wonders of the universe and all you can think about is interrogating the one person standing between you and an airlock. I don't like humans. You're rude, stupid, and more trouble than a Niffler in a Gringott's vault, but for some reason the Doctor finds you apes utterly fascinating."

"Earth Death in twenty minutes. Earth Death in twenty minutes."

Rose slumped down, like the wind had been taken out of her sails, "All right. As my mate Shareen says, don't argue with the designated driver, or in this case, drivers." She pulled out her phone, and tried to joke, "Can't exactly call for a taxi. There's no signal. We're out of range. Just a bit."

Freya just rolled her eyes, knowing with absolute certainty that the Doctor would cave and give the child a treat despite her tantrum.

"Tell you what," he began kindly making Freya roll her eyes, "With a little bit of jiggery pokery..."

"Is that a technical term, jiggery pokery?" Rose asked with a grin, one that Freya knew would have the Doctor wrapped around her finger.

The Doctor grinned, "Yeah, I came first in jiggery pokery. What about you?"

"No, I failed hullabaloo."

Freya moaned, "Oh gag me," she said, sticking out her tongue in disgust.

The Doctor gave her a reproachful look, and then turned back to Rose, "There you go. One super sonic mobile at your service." He added on the cheese, "Try it."

Rose didn't notice Freya's mocking, "But who will I call? The only person in this time that I know is you...well and Cassandra but I wouldn't want to call her."

"Call your mum," The Doctor suggested, "Or Rickey if you want."

Rose looked at the phone suspiciously, but did as he suggested. She dialed home, and her mum answered, "Hello?"

Rose gasped, "Mum?"

"Oh, what is it?" Jackie asked, "What's wrong? What have I done now?"

Freya frowned at Rose's mother's question but didn't let on that she could hear a private telephone conversation from across the room. She disliked it when children didn't treat their parents well. It made her slightly resentful since her parents and her only child had been long dead.

Jackie was still talking, "Oh, this red top's falling to bits. You should get your money back." She said, before asking Rose to continue, "You never phone in the middle of the day."

Freya was beginning to dislike Rose more and more.

Rose just laughed, making Jackie suspicious. Finally Rose replied, "Nothing. You all right, though?"

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"

Rose dodged the question, "What day is it?"

Jackie just sighed, "Wednesday, all day. You got a hangover?"

Rose just listened to her mum jabber on about who knew what. She was just reveling in the ability to call home even a million years away. She glanced at Freya and was startled to see the woman giving her such a blank stare. The Doctor noticed too and told her to knock it off. Rose, then realized that Jackie was talking to her.

"I'm sorry mum," she said, "What?"

"Is there something wrong?"

Rose was quick to assure her mum that everything was alright, "I was just callin' to tell you I might be home a little late."

"Rose?" Jackie asked, suspiciously, "Where are you?"

"Top of the world mum," Rose joked and hung up despite Jackie asking Rose to wait. She turned to the Doctor and beamed, "That was amazing!"

"Wait until you see the bill," Freya said wryly.

Rose whipped her head towards Freya and just stared at the woman. She didn't know whether or not she was joking. If there really was a bill, her mother would cheerfully murder her. They lived in the Powell Estate for a reason, after all. She looked at the Doctor and seeing him grinning, she decided to ignore her.

"That was 5 billion years ago," Rose said, eyes wide in awe, and then frowned, "But, she's dead now. Five billion years later, my mum's dead."

Freya rolled her eyes and mimed shooting herself in the head. The girl just did something that was technically impossible, and all she cared about was something I nevidable. Of course Jackie Tyler was dead in the year 5.5/Apple/26, humans had absurdly short lifespans back in the 21st century.

The Doctor let out a breath, "Bundle of laughs, you are."

"Can we focus on what's actually relevant..." Freya began but was cut off by the space station shaking. She grabbed the doorframe to keep her balance.

"That's not supposed to happen," the Doctor commented.

"You think?" Freya scoffed, "You go save the day or whatever It is you do. I'm going to go check on Boe."

"Wait for us!" the Doctor exclaimed, grabbing Rose by the hand and pulling her as he went after Freya.

Whatever was going on, he didn't think it would be wise to split up. He'd tell her something about not wandering off, but had a feeling she would be less than impressed. Freya was a Time Lord after all, and older than him still.

Freya, as soon as she reached the observation deck, made her way to Boe's side, "Are you alright?" She asked, checking the tank's biometrics.

In the background someone was going on about the Bad Wolf Scenario.

Boe actually rolled his eyes, "I may just be a floating head, but I think I can handle a little turbulence, Frey bae."

Freya narrowed her eyes and accidentally on purpose pushed the oxygenator, making the tank bubble more than usual.

"Hey!" Boe exclaimed.

"Do not call me that," she said simply.

The Doctor finally managed to make it to her side, he had to go at a pace which Rose could keep up. "Is he alright?" he asked, gesturing to the tank.

"I'm fine," Boe said, "And not as fragile as I look, despite some efforts."

Freya smirked and pointed at herself, mouthing the word me.

The Doctor didn't notice, his ears flushed red and he was about to apologize when Rose interrupted him, "You're a floating head." She said.

Freya looked like she was about to berate the stupid human when the Face of Boe mentally chuckled, "I am," he agreed.

Rose's eyes widened to comical proportions, "And you're talking in my head."

"It's a little difficult to be vocal without lungs," he said.

Freya couldn't help but find that last comment hilarious, "Much to your disappointment," she said suggestively.

Boe narrowed his eyes at his best friend, "I hate you sometimes," he muttered.

"Anyway," the Doctor interrupted, "That wasn't a gravity pocket. I know my gravity pockets and they don't feel like that."

"And how did you get on such good terms with gravity pockets?" Freya asked, eyebrow raised.

The Doctor looked away from the elder Time Lord and turned to someone outside of their little group, "What do you think, Jabe? Listen to the engines, they've pitched up about thirty Hertz. That dodgy or what?"

Jabe, startled to be included in the conversation she had been listening to just shrugged, "It's the sound of metal." she said, "It doesn't make any sense to me."

"Doctor..."

"Where's the engine room?" the Doctor asked, pretending that Freya hadn't said a word.

"I don't know, but the maintenance duct is just behind our guest suite, I could show you and your wife." Jabe gestured to Freya.

"She's not my wife." He was quick to correct.

"Partner?"

The Doctor looked to Freya for the answer, but seeing the expression on her face, said, "No."

"Concubine?"

Freya looked at Jabe and was about to open her mouth to protest but the Doctor covered her mouth and said, "Nope."

"Prostitute?"

Freya threw the Doctor off of her, "What did you just call me?" she demanded, and Boe just started laughing. She sent the giant head a killer glare and continued, "I'll have you know that we're we back on my planet, you'd be executed faster than you could so much as wiggle your roots. I was a bloody..." She took a deep breath to calm herself down before she shared something she couldn't take back.

"Whatever I am," Rose interrupted, "It must be invisible."

The Doctor, who had been trying to help Freya calm down, blinked at Rose. He hadn't forgotten about her necessarily, but he was surprised to hear her speak up. Rose gave him a look and rolled her eyes. "Do you mind?" she asked, and then just rolled her eyes, "Tell you what, you two go and do whatever Time Kings from Geoffrey do. I'm going to catch up with family. Quick word with Michael Jackson."

The Doctor stepped away from Freya, "We're not...we..."

Freya rolled her eyes. The Doctor was a prude and apparently wouldn't recover enough to tame his pet human, "Don't start a fight." She told Rose, "I don't feel like stopping someone from killing you."

Rose didn't reply, having enough of Freya. She just stuck her tongue out at the Time Lord and stomped off to Cassandra. Freya growled at the sight and went back to Boe, mentally ranting about stupid humans, disrespectful trees and childish Time Tots. The Doctor just offered Jabe his arm, "I'm all yours."

"Are you sure..." Jabe looked worriedly at Freya.

"I want you home by midnight," Freya shouted, although whether to the Doctor or Rose or both, one couldn't say.

The Doctor took it as a blessing and offered his arm to Jabe once more.

"Earth Death in fifteen minutes. Earth Death in fifteen minutes."

The duo walked out of the Observation Deck area and towards the engine room.

Boe looked at Freya with laughing eyes.

"What?"

Boe just chuckled, "I would tell you," he said, "But then I'd have to kill you."

Freya scoffed, "At least you didn't use that dreadful 's' word again. The more you use it, the more I feel like going back to the origin of the word and threatening its creator within an inch of their life."

"You should go check on Rose," Boe said, gesturing towards the Doctor's new companion, "I wouldn't wish Cassandra on my worst enemy and it looks like it's getting heated."

Freya rolled her eyes but complied with her oldest friend. She could have said something about her not being Rose's mother or about how she would probably end up shearing Cassandra to shreds, but Boe knew all of that. He was probably the only person in the universe who could get away with suggesting she do anything.

"...many operations have you had?" Rose asked just as Freya walked up.

Cassandra almost preened, "Seven hundred and eight. Next week, it's seven hundred and nine. I'm having my blood bleached." she said, and then paused before asking, "Is that why you wanted a word? You could be flatter, Rose. You've got a little bit of a chin poking out."

Rose scoffed, "I'd rather die."

"Honestly, it doesn't hurt." Cassandra trying to be even a little compassionate was making Freya sick to her stomach,

Rose shook her head, "No, I mean it. I would rather die," she proclaimed, "It's better to die than live like you, a bitchy trampoline."

Freya's eyebrows rose and she bit back a laugh. Maybe the new human wasn't all that bad.

"Oh, well," Cassandra was taken back but then snarled, "What do you know?"

"I was born on that planet, and so was my mum, and so was my dad, and that makes me officially the last human being in this room, 'cos you're not human. You've had it all nipped and tucked and flattened till there's nothing left. Anything human got chucked in the bin. You're just skin, Cassandra, lipstick and skin. Nice talking."

Freya waited until Rose was out of hearing range before she burst out laughing, "Oh god I think I just started to like that human!" She exclaimed, "Calling you a bitchy trampoline was priceless."

"Excuse me?" Cassandra exclaimed, not recognizing Freya, "How dare you call me that? I'll have your head for that!"

Freya rolled her eyes, "Oh bite your tongue," she said calmly, before walking away. She had a human to congratulate.

The Time Lord found Rose in Gallery 15, staring at her home planet. She paused, contemplating whether or not to disturb Rose, seeing as she was rather morse, and Freya hated dealing with sappiness. Unfortunately before she could step out of the Gallery, Rose spotted her.

"What?" Rose asked, sounding slightly bitter, "Come to pick on the human?"

Freya pulled on a happy expression, and stood next to the peroxide blonde, "Actually," she said, "I'm here to congratulate you."

Rose looked suspicious, "Why?"

Freya smirked, "Do the words bitchy trampoline sound familiar?" She asked, "Very inspired."

Rose frowned but nodded her thanks. She didn't really know Freya, but from what she gathered, even the Doctor couldn't impress the woman. She took a moment to gather her courage before looking at the much older woman.

"Could you tell me who you are?" Rose asked, hesitantly. She didn't want to incur the woman's wrath again. She may have not shown it, but Freya had scared her.

Freya studied Rose. It seemed that the girl had learned her lesson from before, asking for information rather than demanding it. Freya inwardly smirked, it seemed that it was quite possible to train humans. Perhaps Rose wouldn't make such a bad pet after all.

"I am the Prodigy," she said proudly.

"Is that like the Doctor?" Rose asked.

Freya rolled her eyes but nodded.

"But the Doctor calls you Freya..."

Freya narrowed her eyes, "Don't presume that you can call me by that name, Rose Tyler," she said, "Humans may have forgotten common decency, callIng everyone by their chosen name on assumption, but where I come from permission is required to address anyone with such familiarity."

"Sorry," Rose ducked her head, as though to hide from the Time Lord.

Freya sighed. Perhaps she spoke too soon. She continued a bit more kindly, "Unlike the Doctor, I prefer to be known by my chosen name rather than my title. It's Freyaluptaravak, but Freya is an acceptable alternative."

Rose blinked at the long name, "I don't mean to be rude or anything," she said, "But I think I'd prefer Freya too."

Rose widened her eyes, and stared at Freya like a deer caught in the headlights. The woman had just finished telling her that she couldn't call her Freya, even in directed and here she was using that name once more. Freya gave Rose a long look but didn't say anything.

The woman sighed, "You have my permission to name me by my chosen moniker. I have a feeling that if I told you to call me by my title, the Doctor would be rather put out." Freya finally said, "But make no mistake, if you do something to make me regret it, I will force you to clean out my TARDIS' danger vault and then have you call me Lady Freyaluptaravak for the rest of our acquaintance. Is that understood?"

Rose gave the woman a small nod and then thinking back, she noticed that Freya never called her anything but Miss. Tyler or Rose Tyler. She gave the woman a smile, "You can call me Rose," she said, "If you want."

Freya blinked, surprised that the human had even noticed that she had yet to name her familiarly. She nodded in thanks. Rose blushed. Maybe Freya wasn't really that bad, threats notwithstanding.

"Can I ask you something else?" Rose asked quietly.

Freya couldn't help but be pleased. The human really was learning. "If you insist," she said, bracing herself for any number of probing or inappropriate questions.

Rose bit her lip before saying, "I noticed that you called the TARDIS yours."

Freya raised her eyebrow. That wasn't a question.

Realizing that Freya expected her to actually ask, she opened her mouth again, "The Doctor also calls the TARDIS his." she pointed out, "Who's is it really?"

"She," Freya emphasized, "Doesn't really belong to anyone. The TARDIS chooses her own pilots and while I was her first, since I was exiled, the TARDIS chose the Doctor as well."

"She?" Rose asked, "You talk as if the TARDIS is a living thing."

Freya smirked, "She is," she said, "My Lady was grown, not built. She has a consciousness, a heart and a soul. She is alive."

Rose frowned, "But how is that possible? She's a ship, one we happen to live in."

Freya grinned, "Does it really matter?" she asked Rose, "All that matters is that the TARDIS helps us travel through space and time, ferrying us in her belly, allowing us to call her our home. Without her, none of this would be possible." Freya gestured all around her, referring to their being where and when they were.

Rose was still confused, but didn't push for a better answer. Sometimes it was better not to know. She turned towards the window and watched the Earth. She was about to ask Freya another question when she heard a scuffle break out behind her. She turned around and gasped as the Adherents of the Repeated Meme were attacking Freya, trying to knock her out. Rose immediately ran over to help her but found herself thrown on the floor.

"Rose!" Freya exclaimed in alarm, before being overwhelmed by the Adherents.

The robed figures managed to grab Freya and relatively disarm her. They tossed her towards Rose and immediately set about locking the door behind them. Rose scrambled towards Freya. The older woman was bleeding.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

Freya slowly sat up, rubbing her back, "I'm fine," she said, "You?"

Rose shook her head, "Not even a bruise," she said.

Freya and Rose both stood up and briskly made their way to the door. It was locked. Freya immediately began inspecting the control panel, trying to find a way to open the door, while Rose banged on the door asking for anyone to let them out. Needless to say both methods were fruitless.

"Sun filter descending," the computer announced, and suddenly the room began to get brighter, "Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending."

Seeing that the sun's rays were melting whatever they hit, Rose began to panic. She redoubled her efforts, and began to bang on the door even more incessantly, "Let me out! Let me out!"

"Sun filter descending."

Rose let out a chocked sob, "Let me out!" she cried, "Please, let me out!"

Freya looked up and winced at the sight of the melting wall. She tried another code, intent on getting control of the door but it was no use. The damn thing was disabled from the inside. Looking at Rose, seeing the panic on her face, Freya hesitantly put a comforting hand on her arm.

"It's going to be fine," she said despite her dislike of meaningless platitudes.

Rose looked at Freya with desperation, "I don't want to die," she whimpered, before throwing herself into Freya's arms.

Freya stared at the human crying in her arms with wide eyes. Turning towards the door, she used her one free arm to bang on it. She was over a millennia old, she was not going to die locked in a room with a sobbing human.

"Is there somebody out there?" she shouted, "Let us out!"

"Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending."

"Anyone in there?"

Freya sighed in relief, "You sure took your time, Doctor!" she exclaimed.

Rose threw herself at the door with desperation, "Let me out!"

The Doctor blinked, surprised that both Freya and Rose were in that room. He said the only thing that came to mind, "It would be you," he said under his breath.

Unfortunately for the Doctor, Freya had sensitive hearing, "What did you just say?"

The Doctor winced, "I'll have you out in a bit," he said, focusing on the panel on the other side of the door.

"Open the door!" Rose shouted, "Hurry!"

"Hold on. Give us two ticks."

"Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending."

"We might not have two ticks!" Freya exclaimed, pulling Rose down onto the floor.

"Hold on!" the Doctor said before exclaiming, "Ha! I got it!"

"Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising."

Freya and Rose both sighed with relief but before they could stand up the computer began announcing the opposite.

"Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending."

"Doctor!" Freya and Rose shouted in unison.

The Doctor attacked the control panel again, "Just what we need," he sighed.

"Doctor!" Freya exclaimed. The sun filter was revealing more and more of the sun's deadly rays.

He protested, "The computer's getting clever!"

Freya growled before taking a deep breath and standing up to work on the panel on her side of the door. The heat was unbearable and little melted parts of the wall were dripping on her but she knew she had to do something.

Rose looked at Freya worriedly before turning towards the door, "Oi! Doctor, stop mucking about!"

"I'm not mucking about," the Doctor insisted, "It's fighting back."

"Open the door!"

"I know!"

Rose scooted away from the door, down to the lowest level away from the heat. She looked like she tried to drag Freya along with her, but the Time Lord shrugged her off.

"I'll be alright," Freya insisted, and then shouted, "The lock melted!"

"Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending."

Freya wiped the sweat off her brow, "Oh would you just shut up," she growled at the computer. It was putting unneeded pressure on her.

"Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising."

"Finally," Freya sighed, leaning against the door, allowing the Doctor to take care the actually opening of the door now that they weren't in danger of being incinerated.

Rose stood up and ran towards the door, "Doctor!" She shouted.

"The whole thing's jammed. I can't open the doors." he said, and then looked up and down the corridor, "Stay there! Don't move!"

Freya laughed a little hysterically, "And where are we going to go? Raxacoricofolapitorius?"

"Earth Death in five minutes."

Rose and Freya settled down against the door for the wait. Neither of them said anything, preferring to ponder just how close they came to becoming completely vaporized.

"Earth Death in three minutes."

Freya finally stood up and faced the door. She reached into her bag and pulled out a strange looking tool. She flipped a switch and suddenly there was a red laser coming out of the end. She started cutting at the door frame, cutting through the melted parts of the door so they could get out.

"Heat rising."

"Earth Death in two minutes."

Freya finally managed to cut through the worst of it and after putting away her tool, she kicked down the door. Rose was sweating profusely, and gladly accepted Freya's hand allowing the Time Lord to pull her out into the corridor.

"Rose," Freya said, "I want you to go to Boe," Freya said, looking at the clearly exhausted and frightened human, and as Rose made to protest, she added, "Go make sure that everyone on the observation deck is alright."

Rose frowned, "What about you?"

Freya pulled off her overcoat and put it in Rose's care, "Don't worry about me," she said with a smirk, "I have to go help the Doctor."

Rose nodded, "Be careful," she said.

Freya smirked, "What do you take me for? I'm always careful."

Using her senses, she made her way towards the Doctor. He was back in the Engine Room. She figured that the Doctor was trying to reset the computers manually. The Engine Room was massive, having three giant cooling fans and the control column was on the other side of the fans. He was past the first, surprisingly doing well, but it looked like his assistant was about to go up in smoke.

"Hey tree!" Freya exclaimed, as she grabbed the lever controlling the speed of the fans, "Get out of here before you catch fire."

Jabe shook her head, "But I..."

"Heat levels hazardous. Heat levels hazardous."

Freya rolled her eyes, "I can survive these temperatures, you can't, especially near the engines. Go!"

Jabe hesitated a moment, looking towards the Doctor but then she started smoking. She immediately nodded and handed over the lever to Freya. The Time Lord sighed. Despite her dislike for practically everyone, she hated it when someone died needlessly.

"Go jump in the shower or something," she ordered, "Before you turn into charcoal."

Jabe ran out of the room just as the Doctor looked back. He panicked for a second, fearing that the woman left him stuck between two spinning fans, but relaxed when he spotted Freya. He closed his eyes and passed on to the next gap. Suddenly Freya heard a loud crack and the tension on the lever let up. She stared in horror as the fans began to speed up, leaving the Doctor stranded. The speed controls were broken and there wasn't enough time to fix them. The Doctor froze, suddenly hit with paralyzing fear, not for himself but for the fate of everyone else on the Observation Platform. Freya, sensing his fear, opened up the link between all Time Lords. Suddenly the Doctor didn't feel so alone any more.

"You can do this," she thought at him, "You may be an idiot Time Tot, but I have faith that you'll succeed."

"What if I fail? What if..."

Freya rolled her eyes, "What if unicorns shat out golden nuggets? What if you actually said something somewhat intelligent..."

"Oi!"

"What ifs don't really matter," Freya continued, "What matters is that you have the tendency to defy all odds. The TARDIS believes in you, and right now, so do I. You're a Time Lord. If anyone can make it past that fan, it'll be either you or me."

"Planet explodes in ten, nine, eight..."

As the computer counted down, the Doctor looked at Freya one last time before he let out a deep breath and closed his eyes. He took a moment to get used to the fan's speed and using his time sense, stepped forward at precisely the right moment.

"Six, five four..."

He had made it, he was past the last fan. A beaming grin spread across his face and he looked at Freya with gusto.

Freya rolled her eyes, "Hurray! You did it!" she said, "Now hurry up and reboot the computer. It's that big yellow breaker in the middle."

"Two, one..."

The Doctor sighed but didn't let her dampen his spirits. He pushed the reset button, "Raising the shields!" he exclaimed.

Freya sighed in relief as the heat levels started dropping. Sending the Doctor a sarcastic salute, she left the engine room and the Doctor to figure out how to get back across. She ran towards the Observation deck and back towards Boe.

"Boe?" she asked, scanning him over with her eyes.

The Face of Boe just send her a warm feeling of affection letting Freya relax.

"Rose?"

"I'm alright," the human said from her place besides the Face of Boe, "But where's the Doctor?"

Freya shrugged and just slumped down to the floor, her back against Boe's tank, "What happened? Why were we almost blown up with the sun?"

Boe was silent for a moment, "Cassandra," he finally said.

Freya looked around for the skin flap, "What about Cassandra?" she asked, "You don't mean..."

Boe winced at her anger, "She was trying to con the cooperation by creating a hostage situation so that she could collect compensation,"

Freya froze, anger boiling in her veins. She hated Cassandra, and thought she was one of the most disgusting humans she had ever met, but the skin flap had gone too far. All Freya wanted was for her ship, her giant head, and her companions to be safe. Cassandra threatened that, all for a little bit of money. Freya stood up, pulled out her glass computer tablet, and got to work.

The Doctor made his way into the room, his expression torn between thunderous, relieved, and disappointed. Rose ran to his side.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said, shooting Freya a look, "I'm full of ideas, I'm bristling with them." Freya looked into the Doctor's eyes, making him flinch, "These ideas better have something to do with finding and killing Cassandra."

The Doctor nodded, but then froze, "Killing?"

Freya didn't listen. Instead she used her tablet to locate just where Cassandra teleported from. Once she located that, she looked at the other Time Lord, "Where's the feed?" she asked.

"Feed?" Rose asked, confused.

The Doctor gave his companion a small smile, "Teleportation through five thousand degrees needs some kind of feed." He pointed at both the ostrich egg and the juke box. Freya scanned both. Once she was finished scanning, she just grabbed the ostrich egg, and smashed it against the ground. The Doctor picked up the small device inside.

"This is the feed." he said, inspecting it.

But Freya just snatched it out of his hand and pulled the Doctor's sonic screwdriver out of his pocket. While she felt the screwdriver was a crutch, it had its uses. She quietly put it on the correct settings and suddenly Cassandra was back on Platform One.

"Oh, you should have seen their little alien faces." Cassandra started to laugh, but when she didn't hear anybody else, she opened her eyes, "Oh."

"The last human," the Doctor said sardonically.

Cassandra gave him a nervous grin, "So, you passed my little test. Bravo. This makes you eligible to join the...eh...Human Club."

"Hello Cassandra," Freya said darkly, "I think it's time we had a chat..."

"Lady Deathshade," Cassandra whispered in horror

Freya smirked, "What did I tell you the last time you attempted something like this with me around?" she asked, "What did I tell you about endangering my friends?"

"I didn't know..."

Freya gave the flap of skin a dark smile, "Of course you didn't," she said, "You don't know anything. That's why I suggested that you give up these little schemes."

The Doctor finally spoke up, "People have died, Cassandra. You murdered them."

Feeling slightly braver now that Freya was away from her, Cassandra said, "Well that..." She cleared her throat, "That depends on your definition of people."

"Cassandra!" Freya snarled.

Boe used his psychic prowess to try and send soothing waves towards Freya. She was furious and as much as Cassandra deserved to be punished, Freya would take it too far.

"Frey," Boe whispered past the fury, "Let the Doctor handle this."

"Why?" Freya asked, "Are you afraid I'll do something I'll regret?"

"Just the opposite," Boe said. He knew his friend would never regret it, and thus knew that he had to stop her before she crossed the line.

Freya paused and looked at Boe. He was sending her a beseeching look, one that was begging her to let go. Freya wanted to hurt the skin flap, making her regret ever hurting what she deemed hers.

"Please," Boe asked.

Freya reluctantly stood down. For Boe. She took a deep calming breath and trained her eyes on Cassandra once more.

"You're a perpetual idiot and never learn," Freya spat, but then a small smile appeared on her face, "But then again, sometimes that stupidity comes to my advantage."

"You can't hurt me," Cassandra finally said, feeling braver, "Not in front of an audience. The worst that can happen is that you arrest me." Cassandra turned towards the Doctor, "Take me to court then Doctor, your definition of people is enough of a technicality to keep your lawyers dizzy for centuries. I'll just smile and cry and flutter."

Freya smirked, "And Creak," she pointed out.

Cassandra frowned, "And what?"

The Doctor laughed, "Creak," he told her, "You're creaking."

"What?" Cassandra looked around in horror, "Ah! I'm drying out! Oh, sweet heavens. Moisturize me, moisturize me! Where are my surgeons? My lovely boys! It's too hot!"

"You're the one who raised the temperature." Freya pointed out smugly.

"Have pity! Moisturise me!" Cassandra turned her eyes on the male Time Lord knowing that Freya would sooner let her die than help her, "Oh, Doctor, I'm sorry. I'll do anything. Just please help me."

"Help her," Rose breathed.

The Doctor and Freya shared a look. If what Freya said was true, this wasn't the first time Cassandra endangered someone to make a profit. He was all for second chances, but only if the person in question deserved it, "Everything has its time and everything dies."

Freya smirked as Cassandra wailed, "I'm too young!" And then she was gone.

Freya walked over to Boe, "Good riddance to bad rubbish." she muttered.

The Doctor pulled Rose into a hug, knowing that the human needed comfort after such a traumatic day. Freya just scoffed, suddenly glad she didn't have to do any comforting.

"I take it you'll be leaving soon," Boe said, looking up at his best friend.

"Well the party is over," Freya commented.

Boe laughed, "The party is over when I say its over. After all, this is my gig."

Freya laughed and kissed his tank, "Oh Boe," she sighed, "Your ability to carry on the party well after its proper expiration date ended when you lost the use of your hips."

Boe sighed, "Maybe you're right," he said, and then moaned, "I really miss those hips."

Freya gave him a sympathetic look, "I kind of miss those hips too," she said.

Boe sighed again, "A tragedy," he said, "I think the universe cried."

Freya grinned and then offered, "Boe," to, "Come with us."

Boe shook his head, "My TARDIS days are well behind me, Frey. Besides, someone needs to stay behind for the clean up. God knows you and the Doctor won't do it."

"Shuttles four and six departing. This unit now closing down for maintenance."

Freya sighed, "I'm gonna miss you," she said, hugging him as best she could.

"You'll see me again," Boe assured her, "Sooner than you think. I love you, Freya."

Freya's expression softened, "I love you too," she said before walking away towards her ship. She needed a moment to herself.

"The end of the Earth," Rose looked at the meteors that once made up the Earth sadly, "It's gone. We were too busy saving ourselves. No one saw it go. All those years, all that history, and no one was even looking. It's just..."

The Doctor grabbed her hand, "Come with me."

He led her towards the TARDIS where Freya was already preparing the ship for departure. It didn't take a genius to realize that Rose needed to go home, so Freya had already set the coordinates for Earth in the 21st century. Once they arrived, Freya gestured for the Doctor to take Rose to see her planet alone. Freya watched them leave, and once she was alone, she set herself up underneath the console to do some more repairs. Fixing the system diagnostics would probably take a while, especially considering that the Doctor probably didn't even know it existed and didn't use it at all.


End file.
